I promised Khaleesi to adjust the competition schedule this year to reflect her request for less gnarly grueling rocky trails.

As I am a woman of my word I did not enter the Beast of the East this year as a competitor. However I have grown to love my Old Dominion family so decided to volunteer my time instead as a vet scribe and drag rider.

This worked out really well for many reasons first of which being I was able to bring a friend who is beginning her first endurance riding season along to meet the vets, spend a day scribing with one (one of the best ways to learn) and she partnered with me to drag ride 15 miles of the 100 mile course to get a feel for what the sport is about.

As I’d like to try to get through the 100 mile course someday drag riding in the meanwhile is a great way to get familiar with the trails and also help the organization.

I also found it far less stressful packing for a non-competing weekend and though I have volunteered before I actually looked more forward to giving my time and helping the ride from the sidelines than I would have expected.

One thing that surprised me however once I got home and took an entire day to recuperate- is that it was at least as exhausting as if I’d ridden the 50 miles.

The 15 mile drag ride on Saturday was a great training ride for the Black Sheep 50 I’ve entered at the end of June in OH. Also I used the loop as a test run for a new boot plan that I would like to use going forward in competition only.

If there’s anything the OD can be counted on, it’s to put your shoe or boot protocol to the test on every level. Rocks, sucking mud, streams, more rocks, boulders, gravel, wet grass, and did I say rocks of every imaginable kind?

I don’t think glue on skins are the right fit for me for a handful of reasons. However my Scoot Boots are working really well on training rides often at 100% if the terrain isn’t too challenging. The other things I like is they have good breakover, easy to use, easy to clean, easy to carry on the saddle simply by clipping the heel on with a carabiner, also it turns out that as I’m hoping her feet grow out over time and underneath her instead of long in the toe as they had been before, I find she works best in a boot that seems to have a generous fit. They don’t come off, they don’t rub and she keeps them on well. But they add just a touch of surface area distribution to her footprint which I don’t think hurts her at all right now.

(you can see how easy they are to attach to the saddle with a carabiner here- I always struggled with easyboots and renegades to find a good way to carry them along)

In rugged conditions or mud there’s a chance of a boot twisting or coming loose so I’ve heard of people using sikaflex (a silicone product) on the bottom of the boot that helps adhere the shell to the foot just a little better. It dries soft so doubles as a protective layer as well. The issue is it dries S-L-O-W which makes it a little tricky to work with on a horse that cannot stand perfectly still for an hour or so…..

The technique I thought I’d try was to glue the sik right as were loading on the trailer for the ride- so at least on the trailer they are mostly in place for a couple hours.

I added a layer of vetwrap temporarily to the outside helping the boot move less as the horse walks on to load.

This worked great.

But one concern developed over the day and a half she stood around with the boots sik-ed onto her feet in camp. I was concerned that it was too much time with even soft pressure on her soles.

I slept outside both nights next to her pen as it was clear and warm. The first night she was very normal to what I’ve come to expect. She ate and drank a lot and she laid down once that I am aware of for a decent period of time.

The next day I left her about 12 hours (7am- 7pm) to volunteer with the vets at bird haven only a quick run through camp around 2pm to ensure she had water and hay. She stood around for the most part on a warm day stomping flies. I hated hearing her stomp her booted foot on the ground loosening the sik layer and also probably not great on her feet all day as I’d filled in the little concavity she had with the silicone.

True enough that night her pattern changed. She laid down many times for small intervals. I was pretty certain she was just getting off her feet. Sometimes she laid down and munched hay. She wasn’t lame or in pain- but I believe it was too long to have the boots and sikaflex for my comfort.

First thing in the morning I pulled the boots off and easily dug out the silicone layer from the valleys next to her frog and she seemed glad for me to do so (she stood very still in the pen without being tied for me and never fidgeted). The boots had loosened with all the fly stamping.

About 6 hours later as we were beginning to tack up for the drag ride I reapplied the sik to the boots, added my vetwrap to help them dry with less movement and we loaded up for Laurel Run.

The experiment was worthwhile!

My front boots took much abuse and mud and rocks. I ended up losing one back boot to the washed out mud trail but I had a spare. For some reason I decided to use less product on the back boots and next time I would be more generous on all 4. The sik will just ooze out and conform to the hoof & boot. More is better- and I think I would not have lost a hind boot had I been generous with the silicone.

Khaleesi was super motivated. As soon as I got in the saddle she wanted to GO and I had to calmly bring her back many times to where I mounted to get my feet in the stirrups and adjust my lead rope and then just make sure she remembered who has the brains of the operation (she knew who has the feet!!). I didn’t get upset with her though as I was glad she was all fired up to get on the trail- that’s what I want, it just needs to go on my timing.

All the way through the 15 miles to the end of the trail at Bucktail she was all engine. As I was riding with a horse not quite as conditioned I did a lot of asking her to hold back (which is never a bad thing to practice) and likely accounted in part for how well she came through with a full tank.

But even over parts of the trail with embedded rocks that she would normally slow significantly she began to trot on through. On worse sections that she can be unbearably slow she at least motored through at a forward walk. Definite improvement.

I will continue to play with the sikaflex on competition rides this year and see how it goes.

Delta 11 and Delta 12 (drag riders get a 🔺number) came into camp with good gut sounds, no sign of lameness, and excellent heart rate recovery. After hitching a ride back to camp I decided to pack it up in the rain and get me in my own bed and K out of her sad little mud pen into her acres of home grass. I rolled in around midnight and slept a good 9 hours.

I did the right thing this year for both of us. Though the weather was good (not as hot as some years) for the 50s on Friday – and mostly good for the 100s though I heard some storms rolled through after I left Saturday while 100 milers were still on trail, I keep hearing each year how much worse the rocky footing is getting. I’m not sure if erosion and use and this year being so particularly wet- the rocks of the Old Dominion is famous for appear to some to be getting worse.

I see more riders decide not to ride it at all and some drop a distance in respect for their horses. I have a hope that Khaleesi may continue to improve her hoof quality and size to someday be ready to take on the Beastly OD100, but I’m not sure that will happen. It’s way too soon to tell.

Personally I love the trails but they are brutal on the horse and it’s her 4-legs that have to get us through safely. I look forward to trying out Black Sheep Boogie and seeing how we fare.

I’m heartened to see how motivated she was to ride the loop we did. During our struggle with the No Frills (also an old dominion ride) in April I questioned it she hates the sport altogether. I believe she answered that question on Saturday and I think she’s ready to go.

One thing I love is finding ways everything is a gift- even the things you didn’t think you wanted. If you change perspective and turn them around enough you can see the beauty- but sometimes it takes a little squinting through tears!

I am back from the OD safely and have taken one of the few best showers of my life now able to relax finally and boy it feels good!

Though I tried not to think negatively and ‘curse’ us- I wasn’t convinced I would finish the OD100 sound and healthy the first go at it. The completion rate is usually close to half- and to even enter the 100 usually (hopefully!) means you’re a smart rider with a dependable horse who has some solid experiece, so half those riders pulled out of the race are top endurance competitors.

Everything has to go right for this to work. And then you still need a little luck to make it through.

Khaleesi and I began with all the hopes you can carry and within about 3 miles something felt off. I asked Amy to let some riders pass us and watch me trot.
Something’s not right….

Yep you’d better check. I think you lost a shoe!

I got off and sure enough. Front Left. Gone. Hoof tore up pretty good. Damn rain this spring. This is not a good way to start.

Now what.. ok. Boot. Vet wrap. We are prepared for everything including this.
I wrapped the hoof and put on the Scoot boot. And crossed my fingers. We had A. Long. Way. To. Go.

We start moving again and she’s a little off but better. Frills takes a nice trot pace and K follows without much trouble. In short time she feels better and we’re moving along well. The boot is doing its job. And it’s staying on.

How will we get through. It’s a long day and I’m now feeling worried. I decide there to ride the trail in front of me on the horse I’m on. Stay present and don’t think of what’s to come or what’s happened. Be. Here. Now.

We climb the ridge and Khaleesi does her thing- the mountains – she leads Frills at a nice power walk up the first big climb to the ridge. I relax. Amy is terrified of tie up. I’m terrified of lameness. We both try to enjoy the lovely perfect morning with pretty Laurel and nice views. The horses walk the ridge where it’s rocky and grab bites of grass while waking. Eat and chew. Feeling good.

We came out to the water tanks in good spirits. Electrolyted. Began to head down the mountain- all downhill into Bird Haven. We got this.

Heading into Bird Haven we caught up with a couple riders at the stream crossing and all the horses have been here before. They were not gong to stop and relax in the stream. They wanted breakfast. And they were not happy to wait while the two horses they just caught got there first.

We trotted into the hold faster than I would have on my own in order not to choose a fight right there over it (counterproductive) and my heart rate was up at 135 coming to the In-Timer.

Not what I’d normally do.

Crew is waiting and ready!

Let’s get her in the shade, tack off and hope we don’t take too long to pulse.

By the time Ricky came over with the hand-held as Frills had pulsed we’d just gotten her saddle off and started some water. She needs to come down to 64. From 135. Fast.

Please…..

Go. She’s at 58.

I’m surprised. That was fast.

We walk slowly to P&R and breathe deep. Cross fingers.

Me: Good Morning. She should be ok. She was just at 58.

Pulse taker: Well she’s not now.

Inner voice: Shoot did we walk too fast- is she looking for Frills?

Pulse taker: She’s at 54 now.

Very funny.

We walk to the vet. She does fine, trot out with the boot she’s sound. The boot is working. CRI was 48/48.

I’m very happy. Despite losing a shoe early on the first vet check seems like a good sign.

We go back to eat, drink and get ready for a long afternoon stretch before we see crew again. Pam and Susan are fantastic help!

Pam is good with K and listens to her when she asks to eat more grass and walk around a little and susan is on top of everything and even makes 3 trips (running) back to the truck for this and that including a second extra boot now for the rest of the day.

We have a hard loop with a severe climb into Laurel Run with no crew accesss then a tough stretch on to Bucktail. Probably over 7 hours before we catch up with them again.

I make the decision to stick with the boot. There isn’t a lot of hoof left to nail into and I don’t want to chance loosing that shoe and tearing up a hoof more that already grows slowly. One day’s goal isn’t worth losing all that hoof. Maybe the experience today is going to be in seeing how good these boots really are.

But I decided to add a pad to make them more protective. We’re heading into some rough territory. It could only help.
Or not.

We left the check together and within a mile I was feeling something wrong. I looked at the shoes- they were on… the boot however was not.

Go on ahead. I’m going back for it. I’ll catch up!

Are you sure?

YES!! GO!!

I turned back and was certain it couldn’t be far. It was at least a half mile. I got off to hand jog her.

I should have FIRST put the extra boot on- then rode back to get the spare.

I found the boot and pad. The pad had changed the fit enough to cause it to come off for the first time since I bought them.
I put the boot on without the pad to see how that would work. It was working from the whole first loop- maybe that was enough.

We had good gravel road to canter on and possibly catch up to Amy. She could do this in her sleep. We train for this. And it’s early in the day.

She didn’t. She cantered a little then trotted and little then walked. I compromised on a solid trot. Catching up was not vital. I could ride this ride alone if I had to and it might be better for us.

Maybe that’s what the day is about. Taking this on alone. That doesn’t worry me.

Heart rate wasn’t right. As we trotted up the gravel road she hung around 150bpm. Should have been 120 or so.

That’s an indicator.

I tried changing diagonals – she wasn’t comfortable. Ok. You’re not doing well with that foot. One last thing I can adjust. I will vetwrap the pad to the hoof before putting the shoe on. That’s how I should have done it in the first place.

We went on and got off the gravel road into the woods. Let’s see if she comes around and feels more comfortable.

She’d walk and then trot and then walk and then stumble a little- trip- trot.

Walk trot walk trip trot walk trot walk trot trip.
Is this going to sort out? Am I being paranoid? Am I causing this by over-obsessing?

She paused on trail.

I thought about it: I know where we are headed and the rocks are only going to get worse and worse. The next two loops are brutal. For a horse going in 100%.

Do I want to chance it and have to bail 7 miles into this loop making it harder to get out? Do I want to obsess and worry my way through the next 80 miles? Do I want to push my horse to try even though her foot hurts?

Of course not….

The drag riders caught me paused in thought on the trail. I told them I was done today and they got me the number (I had some service) for Duane back at Bird Haven and they held the ‘ambulance’ trailer for me.

We walked most of the 2.5 miles back and trotted some of the good footing as I was curious how bad it was. It wasn’t bad- mostly she was pretty sound but occasionally a mis-step. When I switched my diagonal though it was worse and I knew something was there.

She passed the vet check and the vet at Bird haven gave her a ‘Rider Option’ code because she was considered sound officially. There was again a rare mis-step and we all agreed it was likely a sore spot or minor bruise was the culprit. The time I rode unprotected probably she was ok until she hit a rock then was off and I noticed but the damage was there even if it was slight.

Let me be clear for those who haven’t been to an endurance event: just because the vet officially cleared her doesn’t mean she didn’t agree that pulling out was the right call. We all believed it would have gotten worse. It just means right then it wasn’t bad enough to call her grade 3 lame.

Drinking back at camp waking to the trailer. Done for the day!

You don’t take on the Beast of the East with a hoof bruise! Well… at least I don’t.

I don’t want to get through- I want to do it so my horse is good with the process. I made a promise that I would never (again) put my goals ahead of my horse and what fits into that promise even adjusts over time. This sport asks a lot of a horse. I don’t want to shove it onto her, break her down mentally and physically and then tell her later as she’s recovering in the pasture: see that wasn’t so bad right? We’ll do it again next month.

I think the vets are amazing. And they do everything they can to ensure the riders and horses can do their best. But I think they stay on the side of allowing the riders to make the call regarding what is best for the horse until it’s severe enough to force a pull. Depending on your relationship and personality they may give advice- and they’ll always tell you if they think you’re headed for trouble. But I’ve scribed enough to see humans glaze right over as long as they get their rider card back.

I think it needs to be that way because their job isn’t to be a rider’s conscious – when they pull it isn’t a matter of opinion: at that point the horse cannot continue.

One thing I took from this ride experience is the confirmation to me that the relationship I’ve created with my horse is way wayway too important to force her into a situation that she is hurting or struggling and I insist she continue anyway because it’s not life threatening, career-ending, or it will heal up and not cause long term damage and the vet passed me through.

I want to have a crew that knows me enough to tell me I’m riding my horse too hard or her back hurts or her eyes are getting dull or she’s not eating or drinking enough. It can be hard not to do everything possible to push through when you’re in the middle of it.

I know I have that crew!

I also want to consider how my crewing stops work from my horse’s perspective and not just my own human needs. I’ve learned that she is a smart mare and if I at least listen to what she is saying I can get more information to help me excel. That’s her job- to be my co-pilot. If I’m a good leader I will want to hear what she has to say. If she wants more grass than beet pulp and that means taking a little walk to graze in vet check that is ok. If she wants to eat everyone else’s food that is not ok. It’s not that she’s in control- but I will try my best to hear her and then determine if I can give her what she’s asking for.

I believe in the long run over her decade-plus-team career this will build into a horse that doesn’t just put her head down and do her job, but pushes herself to carry me faster, farther and with the great heart of a mare more willingly than otherwise.

And because she isn’t a Arab bred from the womb to excel in this sport it’s all the more important to use every angle at my disposal to succeed with her.

That is what this sport means to me.

And this ride where I made the call to hear her as she told me she wasn’t feeling right to continue into the rough mountains – that is a sacrifice for the goal but a huge gift to her.

I will always remember last year’s Iron Mountain ride where I didn’t listen because I thought she was not giving her all. She was alone and didn’t want to leave camp… she could move along faster… we train at home we’re ready! But the rocks there hurt her feet and was significant. It was significant mentally, emotionally and physically.

She leaned that day I would force her into something she couldn’t handle. She learned if she didn’t perform even when in pain I would get emotional (frustrated… oh that embarrassing scene alone in the woods). I caused physical damage to her hooves that I think she is still paying for over time trying to get stronger feet and the impact damage from the x-rays.

Saturday when I turned her around was very significant.

She learned that I can be trusted. That I will take care of her. That I will not push her into a situation she can’t thrive and perform.

Like Buck says:

Always make a winner out of your horse so she can make a winner out of you.

That is a gift.

The opportunity to prove myself and my dedication to my horse. You can’t do that when the stakes are low. It’s only a sacrifice when you give something up. And I know she knows.

She may not have completely understood what it meant to enter the 100 but she knew my energy had been different. She felt it in our tack and warm up ride the evening before. She was a coiled spring ready to perform. She was proud and prancing and happy. She was different. I felt it in every step. Not out of control- just strong.

Without question she knew this was a significant event. And as I turned her around I told her how proud I was of her and rubbed her neck and said I knew she did her best and I will work on getting her feet stronger to support the rest of her.

I cried a little too for the disappointment I felt because it was honest. Yet I knew in my heart it was a gift to both of us. This day would be one more invaluable link in our relationship and the years of preparation for the day we do cross the 100 finish line strong and healthy!

This year has taught me valuable life lessons and I am blesssed to be in a place where I believe that it’s not good and bad but truth and love. Reality is a gift.

Everything is a gift.

Here are some more of the positive things that came from pulling out of the race after riding the first 20 miles:

* Because it was early enough, I made it back to camp in time to jump in and crew for Amy!
* I got to see all the vet checks from the road. What they look like, how the set up and parking is like. What other riders and crews are doing and what works.

* My awesome crew got to experience crewing this 100 with Ricky helping Amy so no pressure to get me through but to help, watch and learn…
* they are already thinking of ways to improve on my gear and packing systems that would make the day more efficient for them (awesome!!) and have said they will help me try again!
* I did all the mental, emotional and physical prep for the ride and will be more efficient next year with better understanding what is coming.

* A 20 mile trail ride instead of 50-100 miles will mean I get more saddle time this summer as she won’t be on a 3-week recovery break.

* I have more compassion and empathy for others who try and don’t succeed at something important to them.

My mentor Lynne said always buy the ride photo. It goes into a photo journal and you can look back at your progress. So I bought my photo from the first loop and wrote this on the back for future reference:

My good friend Sarah upon getting the text that I didn’t make it through sent this wonderful quote:

Disappointment to a noble soul is what cold water is to burning metal; It strengthens, tempers, intensifies, but never destroys it.

5:30am start on Saturday means an early morning- in fact 5:30 am start means I’m on my horse by 5:15 (ideally but it hardly ever works that way for me) so probably getting up by 4am to make sure we are adequately dosed with coffee.

As for Khaleesi, I will offer a light meal of wet beet pulp with minimal coolstance added as soon as possible to 4am with salt and her supplements. Her job is to have been eating and drinking all night and she usually takes it pretty seriously so she doesn’t need a heavy meal right before start. I also plan to dose her with a plain salt mix right before I climb aboard to encourage early drinking.

You will be amazed at how anticlimactic the start of an endurance ride is. But you’ll want to see it anyway- maybe you can remember to get video of us coming through at hopefully a very moderate trot.

The first loop into BIRDHAVEN isn’t terrible for terrain with one major climb and I hope to be in around 8-8:15. Last year on the 50 it took me just around 2:30 so maybe a year later she’ll be a touch more confident and faster. Your job this day is to get us in and out as efficiently as possible. If we waste 5 minutes at every vet check trying to pulse or cool down or not being in the saddle by our out time that is a lost 30 minutes to our finish time and depending on the day could mean we complete or not.

This means be ready to pull tack basically as I’m getting off the saddle and if it’s hot have COLD water already sponging her neck, sides and underside with a scraper practically while we are walking in. Cooling down means quicker to pulse. She can drink but don’t want her eating until she’s down to 64bpm because digesting creates heat and can keep the heart from dropping Gut sounds are vital however so someone needs to have a flake of hay and/or carrots as we walk or in line for the vet.

It’s a 45 minute hold. You will be shocked at how fast 45 minutes is especially in comparison to how SLOW 2 minutes is when you are sitting in the saddle waiting for your out time to come. Bird haven is the main check as it’s first in and last out- and it will be set up since Thursday as another friend riding the 50 will be using it as his crewing spot when he rides Friday. So you shouldn’t have to do a lot in the AM to get ready!

Main things at Bird Haven after getting vetted through: feed the beast- mostly grass if there’s any left- so someone may need to walk her around to find some, hydration hay which should be available to her at every check and already hydrated (I guess that’s obvious), beet pulp is also ok and coolstance can be mixed into it.

I’m not sure if we’ll need her waterproof sheet as we may be getting some rain in the morning if forecasts stay accurate- it’s hard to know at that time of day if we’ll be keeping her from getting a chill or trying to cool her down. Be ready for both. If it’s not raining per mentor’s instructions wet her chest and neck before we ride off and NEVER EVER let me forget to Elyte her, and be sure I have an extra syringe to go in my pack as well.

After Bird Haven I ride 16 miles to LAUREL RUN this has a massive demoralizing climb and could be one of the slower MPH loops I do all day. I’ve done this stretch of trail in the 50 last year and hiked a lot of the climb on foot because it’s that steep and if she’s walking, I’m walking… no sense in making her carry me up the mountain if we can’t pick up speed. I think this loop took me almost 4 hours last year. It was later in the day for the 50 and it was a very hot day, a year less conditioning under her hooves, so I hope to make slightly better time- but never know.

LAUREL RUN is crew-less in the AM. They take care of us there because space is at a premium and you won’t be there. I am considering sending up a bag with elytes the night before- I want to be sure I’m dosing enough and don’t know if I want to carry enough for over 6 hours of trail because I won’t see you until Bucktail. This is another 45 minute hold. The legal range for us to be there is like 10:30 – 1:45pm (meaning if i didn’t get OUT of there by 1:45pm they’re sending me home in the trailer cause I’m overtime!). Since you can’t come here you get a morning break! This is when you’ll want to be sure we have plenty of ice because we have 15 miles to get to…..

BUCKTAIL. This is mid-afternoon. The check opens around 1pm and stays open till about 4pm so it’s the heat of the day and I’ve heard there are some climbs… I have no idea at the moment when we’ll get there because now i’m in uncharted territory! I hope we can somehow stay in communication occasionally or you can check in with officials to find out when we got to and left laurel run if we can’t text or call. If I make it to Bucktail I’ll want a yummy lunch (which i’ll have to figure out!) and watermelon and cold drinks. Well be spending a lot of time icing and scraping K so she goes back on trail with a totally cool core temp. You will think it’s overkill.

It isn’t. This is also a 45 minute hold. Then we do 7 miles to…

WAITES RUN – gate and go. This means only 10 minutes after reaching pulse. where the vets want to see the horse trot by after you give them a snack. It’s open like 2-7pm… I believe you will be able to crew this for us- they should have water tanks and you SHOULD only need to get us fresh drinks for our packs and e-lytes for the horses and hay or beet pulp whatever she seems to be eating. (maybe carrots and apples if she’s not being snotty about them.)

Note here: those who’ve gone before me say DROP TACK immediately. It’s not required but not doing it almost always costed them time in the past. Many riders take more than the 10 minutes required and we will hope not to if possible… Make sure you have a sponge and sweat scraper and some ice water ready in case it takes time to cool her. I will take extra elytes but will NOT elyte before leaving this check – it is the only one I will wait until water because there’s an immediate climb and she won’t have much chance for water for a while. Then 12 miles to
LITTLE SLUICE – this is what they call “hospitality” and you will not be there.. there is no vet check or hold, they just provide us with water (horses), usually some hay or carrots… and take our number to be sure we’re still ok… I’ll electrolyte for sure… you should be able to get information of our position because in 4 more miles we’ll see you at:
BIG 92… if i make it here we are at mile 70 and i will probably be exhausted or ecstatic because that’s the farthest I’ve ever ridden by many miles and it’s hard to believe I’ll see big 92!!!! 😳) this check is open from 5-10:30pm… I can’t imagine I’ll be there at 5 but I sure hope it’s not 10pm either! I’ll want dinner… if we’re lucky something warm from the store or restaurant you were able to get earlier! hot and fatty like a cornbread grilled cheese…. or fried chicken… maybe a burger… and probably bourbon… (ok, kidding on the bourbon… well… maybe just a shot… ;-)) This is a 40 minute hold and vet check. Pray my horse hasn’t lost a shoe or is lame (don’t read that out loud and curse us though)… this ride is hard- they don’t call it the Beat of the East for nothing. After I take a 5 minute nap and eat something hearty… and my horse eats and drinks like a monster we hope… passing the check with all As!! we have only 8 miles to get back to…….
LAUREL RUN the second time! (on the way home baby!) this check can be crewed at night because enough (other!?) riders have been pulled in the day (and the other riders have spread out) – not so many people in the confined space. Open about 7pm – 1am my guess is this is the late night stop for me… could be midnight??

These night checks will not need ice- more likely my fleece or waterproof to keep her from getting chilled… rump rug? you’ll have access to all of them depending on the weather. It’s a 30 minute hold which will probably feel like a time warp and I can’t imagine what I’ll want then besides alleve and a bed. Note: whatever I say to you put me back on my horse if she’s still not lame! I’ve come almost 80 miles at this point and should be able to do 20 more … in the dark… in just about any state. It’s only 14 more miles back to…..
BIRD HAVEN!!!! almost home! I’ll be cold and tired and either grouchy or out of my head. If grouchy please forgive me in advance I don’t mean anything personally. My sentances may not be coherent. Hopefully I’m at least not throwing up at this point. Just feed me something warm (probably some kind of soup) make sure I have warm dry clothes on (fresh if it’s cold and raining – my worst nightmare) and ignore me… this is only 20 minutes if all goes well and i have no idea when I’ll get here at this point sometime between 2am and 4am? There is just over 6 miles back to camp from here… so once again if my horse is healthyand you think i need to go to a hospital…PUT ME ON THE HORSE. I have plenty of vet wrap that should cover just about any injury or pain i’ve sustained… alleve is probably good to have on hand. I’ll make sure to bring a bottle- enough to share should you find anyone else needs it too!

One of you may need to trot out my horse for me at this point if my legs are failing me… REMEMBER! always jog fast- minor issues like being tired from riding 90 miles can look like lameness if you go too slow- but NEVER EVER EVER let the lead rope get tight as it WILL look like lameness when her head is pulled even if she’s completely fine. She gets graded on “attitude and impulsion” both and they matter- so unless she’s seriously exhausted and can’t go on pull up your energy and get exciting so she wants to run with you which she always is skeptical of even on the vet-in when she’s not tired (why do i have to run to that stupid cone?) if she looks reluctant that will lower her grade. we’ll have to practice some trot outs.. this is kind of important actually… also Lynne says there’s a direction you should always turn… there was a reason… i’ll have to ask her… ok… so now we hopefully get to…
FINISH LINE – back at camp. Now is when you need to have the bourbon… or even better would be a good peaty scotch… but i don’t think my budget is going to allow that with all the crap i’ve had to pick up just in case… If i actually make it to the finish line on a horse I will be crazy happy even though it could be 5am meaning I’ve been up over 24 hours and maybe a little delirious as well.

This is where the kid gloves come out- it’s her first 100 and we’ll both be tired. I am slightly terrified of muscle cramping here. My vet says the best medicine here is prevention and good electrolyting through the entire day is key on never having her deficient so her mucles are able to function at their best and stay strong. My mentor’s finsh line advice is NOT to get off her when we cross the finish line but stay on and walk slowly toward the vet area leaving tack on- have a rup rug ready for me at the finish as it’s a little walk from there to vet and if we use it – it goes on GENTLY but without being sneaky. Any jump or spook can take a tired muscle and give it a pull that will get us pulled. I want to see her heart rate down as we slowly walk to vet and once it is we’ll drop tack right there and keep moving nice and slow-like into the final vetting. Have her fleece ready. The goal is to get in and out of that final vet as quickly as possible with a capital C (Completion).

We will hopefully vet through- but if she gets pulled at the finish for lameness or whatever please remind me that we still did something amazing, and it happens to the best of riders/horses and it’s only our first try…

Next i’ll be looking for some help with taking care of K- lots of hay, coolstance, beet pulp, apples, carrots- she gets whatever she wants and at some point during the day, depending on our camp set up, i’d like to consider moving K’s electric fence so she has new grass after the ride… i might be able to set up two pens at once depending on my supplies. The second one can be smaller as she won’t move as much and we’ll be there less than a whole day- but fresh clean grass is good!! Also getting K’s legs poulticed (possibly wrapped) and possibly ice soaking her feet with epsom and ice water to help alleviate any bruising/soreness she may develop. Brandon suggested finding the farrier if possible the next day to make sure her shoes are still on tight and ask them to check nails and/or clinches and leave them on if they are on good to protect her feet in the rest period to come. I may need to be reminded or helped with this too!

I’ll hopefully get some sleep- a few hours or so, and I think there’s a brunch and awards thing too on Sunday. I plan to go home later on in the afternoon and could use a hand i’m sure cleaning up camp and packing in!

No matter what happens I am so grateful to have friends who are willing to help me get through this big day and support me on my journey! We will have a great adventure!

This thing I’ve been working towards for years… the thing that the closer it gets the farther away it seems… that concept of limits in high school calculus where the closer you get to something you infinitely split the space in half and never arrive…. that’s what the 100 felt like to me until today. When it hit me… this is time and not conceptual math.

Saturday, June 10 will arrive and I’ll be tacking up at 5am for a journey to the unknown.

What do I do now?

Research.

Plan.

Make lists.

Prepare.

Get ready.

Specifically: what does one do in the two weeks before?

Shave your dark colored non-Arab heat machine.

Get your farrier out.

I took a day at the barn to do both. It’s good that it’s a week early- she’ll have a little hair growth to help protect her skin in 10 days but still be able to cool. She’ll have a week to walk around on the shoes and not be sensitive from a fresh hoof trim.

I washed her while waiting for the farrier… so afterwords she’d be clean to shave.

She is not a big fan of baths and I don’t do it often but she was patient with the soapy sponge and shockingly stood absolutely still while I rinsed her with the hose! Good start to the day.

I’ve never seen her so clean.

She was also basically good for my farrier. I have been reminding her we’re in for this adventure and it’s a big job. I’m partnering with her because she’s strong and smart and ready. She took getting her shoes done pretty seriously I think. So did my farrier.

The 100 right?

Yep.

Right.

He worked more quietly than ever and at one point I said:

I have a question I want to pick your brain about- tell me when is a good time.

To which he replied:

Not now when I’m shaping her shoes for this.

Which is kind of what I expected but thought I’d check. I asked him later. When he was done. Completely.

She stood more quietly than usual and though she still isn’t a dead-broke quarter horse (which is my farrier’s dream job… only working on them…) but she improves every time and we do it without pain or force and he’s very patient to work with me in my own way.

She handled the hot shoeing with minimal fretting. And she stood much more still while he nailed than usual. I’ve watched and the initial easy beats to set the nail she’s fine- it’s the energy to really drive them in at the end that sends her wanting to pull those feet back but for the most part she trusted me that this was important and I was able to assure her before she tried to pull out… mostly.

I was proud of her. He took a long time to get everything just so- and she stood quietly through it all.

4 shoes, pads all around, an old set as emergency ready shaped spares along with 2 new pads shaped for front and rear just in case we lose them on trail.

Have cash on hand. Farriers hate doing work and having to track you down later.

He said from experience. He’s worked the OD before.

I will. But I won’t need the ride farriers. Because I have you.

Yeah. Let’s hope so.

He gave me some more advice: from now till you leave- if you get bad rain pull her in a stall during the worst of it to keep her from running around in the mud. Slipping and pulling something is bad enough and this wet weather has been hard on keeping shoes on. After the ride – have the ride farrier check the shoes. You want them on and tight to protect her feet as she recovers over the next couple weeks.

After he left we moved on to the haircut. I have a small clipper and have only done this a few times. As Amy assured me – doing it this far out will at least grow in the clipper lines. Can’t have my Khaleesi looking too mutly around all the beautiful Arabs… my diamond in the rough… or is it my rough & tough among the diamonds?

I did get creative and added a star to each rump. Once I got on her later for a light evening ride I noticed… my stars are not aligned! Oh well. I’ll get better in time.

And in my defense I clipped her outside so the wind could carry away the hairs (that didn’t go down my shirt) but any fly that found us had her twitching away and it’s hard to get a straight line with her twitching!

That being said she stood so well for me otherwise that I didn’t have to hold or tie her- she seemed to know this is just part of the prep for her big job.

The ride is now within a weather forecast window and I don’t trust it a second. Especially because it’s forecasted to be partly cloudy and highs in the 70s. There isn’t a possibly more perfect day one could hope for so I’m not counting on that. It’s just not possible. Sorry.

And on a lighter note (pun accidental but totally appropriate!) I’ve had a few issues with my early order list: my shoes haven’t made it yet so I may just stick with what works unless I can break them in; my cooling material tights are backordered (I can make due with what I have) but the glow sticks I ordered are just not what I was expecting.

Yes. They are the size of a paper clip. You can imagine my shock upon opening the small envelope and wondering what on earth I’ll being doing with 1″ emergency light sticks. No wonder they were such a good deal!

I put in a new order for 6″ ones and they should arrive well before I pull out on Thursday morning.

So the next few days I am getting my rig super clean and having my tires and fluids checked.

Aside from that I’m calling my mentor for last words, emailing my crew team and starting to get more serious about crunching the data… mileage, vet holds and timelines.

Less than a month to go till June 10 when I tack up for a 5:30am start at the OD100. My brain is ticking along and lists are getting made and checked off.

Thankfully riding and conditioning assignments are light in this time window because the amount of mental energy going into logistics is taking up more space than I’d have imagined.

As for riding I took a trail marking and clearing ride with some friends and rediscovered a great trail I haven’t used in years with beautiful views and decent climbing.

We ended the ride with a deep river hole where my capall uisce got some water time. She really isn’t so into swimming (yet) but she loves to roll in or stand deep in the river – she laid down (with me and saddle) but I stayed on and convinced her not to roll and instead we wandered around the depths that came up past her belly and had my shoes and pants soaked to the knee. It was worth it- we were too far from the trailer to really untack and commit to water play- but just the deep wading was magical in its own right.

No photos- I left my phone safely on the bank!

Scoot Boots are still at 100% success. And still no rubs or issues with use and still the easiest boot I’ve ever used.

Now for the checklists…

Send in registration form & coggins:

Check… with appropriate Wonder Woman stamp!

Order necessary tack type stuff:

Salomon Speedcross… great eBay deal! saw Karen ride the OD cavalry in them last year and she says they’re great so I’m hoping they show up asap so I can get them broken in and tried out! My Ariats are fine but showing a little extra wear and they aren’t so great for hiking the mountain- considering I plan to do a fair amount of getting off her during the toughest climbs, descents or any place we both need a break I need a shoe that will feel good on trail as well as in stirrups.

New helmet (Ovation light & breathable)

New chaps (Dublin neoprene webbing) also cooler and lightweight thanks Lynne for the recommendation.

Official sponge leash (to replace the too long jerry rigged old reins I was using)

Biothane stirrup leathers to use my heavier duty real leathers as a back up… remembering a story that Kristen had a stirrup leather fail without a handy replacement. She struggled through riding I think with bailing twine? I just remember it wasn’t fun and she didn’t feel great afterword.

Hydration hay! (We learned Khaleesi loves it last year after she ate all of the Stone’s horses’ stash. Thankfully they didn’t love it and now I finally remembered to buy her own!)

E-lyte dosing syringes with caps! (My current ones don’t have caps means I have to waste time pulling up individual doses when I need them!)

Date syrup & CMPK (adds to elytes for extra calcium and potassium) also sometimes the syrup can help encourage the gut and eating after a tough loop.

Vetwrap!!! For a million things

Hoofboots and a spare set of shaped shoes from our last set- I have my Scoot Boots for a lost shoe but I’m also borrowing a one size up spare from a team member who isn’t riding the OD for the potential sprung or loose shoe. Great mentor advice- a sprung shoe can be worse if you aren’t able to pull it on the trail. On a 100 the chance of a nail getting work down, or a tired mid-step pulls or bends a shoe- take the vetwrap and wrap the shoe as tight as possible- cover with one size larger boot until fixable in the next hold.

Zip ties (to affix the Scoot boots directly to saddle as well as a million other things)

Dramamine & Aleve … I’ve heard other riders lighting after dark can make one nauseasus… and the Aleve… for everything else!

Wish list that looks will have to wait:

Smaller size narrow (new!!) Scoot boots for hind feet (for now the front size with vetwrap will get us to a hold and I’ll have renegades that fit or a new old shoe put on… should be fine for a temporary spare tire)

Extra Phoenix Rising saddle pad. Seems this pad gives the best support to the saddle. I’d love a second one in case of rain or extreme sweating but one PR with a toklat coolback for the hottest parts of the day will be ok.

Reflective neck collar from Taylored Tack (love the idea of not having a halter on all the time but not necessary)

Aside from this I have a yard in full on spring mode which is lovely except the weeds grow even better than the flowers most of the time so I try to get some time keeping the jungle at bay… and it’s end of school seasons both for my college and K-12 students so I’m teaching a lot and planning final concerts as well.

Tonight I fed the girls and spent a few minutes scratching summer bug bites and itchy spots. All three mares seemed to be grateful for the non-agenda time and especially the itchy scratches.

Back to song lyrics again. Sometimes I just can’t get them out of my head and this one has stuck since my last ride a couple days ago.

Feeling Good…

One month till our first 100 and the assignment from my endurance vet is basically do no harm.

People have begun to ask if we’ve amped up our training and conditioning routine to prepare. Much like the anticlimactic announcement last post, the answer is no. Actually we’re amping down.

Ride twice a week, you cannot gain fitness and Khaleesi has a good base which is why you’re ready for this. Try to get at least a ride or two in starting before 6am to get used to an early start time but don’t ride long – just a warm up then put her away. Also get in a ride on the hottest humid day you can in the next month. Don’t do high miles- definitely stay under 20… under 15 is good too) and save her feet by searching out good footing. Don’t push for super fast rides either. Just keep her juices flowing and keep her limber.

Seems easy enough.

This is also riding Faygo can handle! So Susan and I are enjoying some data-free fun riding with good footing and no goals. All that work of long rides, speed work, hill climbing and technical rock navigation is now paying off with some relaxed fun time.

When we went to the field on Wednesday with our human chit chat about nothing all that important susan and I had to stop and take notice. Khaleesi was running that herd all over the place.

This is unusual.

She was saying something.

She wasn’t exactly running them ‘off’ but she was running them around. Doing some of her acrobatics and dancing for us as well.

We stopped and watched from outside the gate:

What do you think she’s saying?

Who knows?

Something.

Yep. Definitely something.

Eventually things calmed down and I walked in to get my horse. She didn’t come immediately but it wasn’t long before she walked up and put her head in the halter. We headed for the barn.

That’s when I noticed:

I think she was telling me she lost a shoe.

Sure enough. Right front. That foot. The troubled one.

We’ll have to go look for it later. Don’t want anyone getting hurt stepping on the nails.

Thankfully I have my scoot boots! The only boot I feel confident now that I won’t lose on trail.

Now I wonder if she was trying to tell me where it was……

I don’t put much past these animals anymore with what’s possible. The level of communication is pretty amazing if we would only let them know we are paying attention.

We booted up, loaded up and drove barely a mile to an easy spot to hit the grassy soft roads that are the most fun to ride and it’s always more fun to only be heading home the entire ride.

I rode the short 2 hours in my bareback pad and new (knotty girlz) custom measured stiff red halter with my (also new) treeline lead just tied at the bottom loops. I have really come to love the feeling of her movement in the pad and how much fun it is to ride her halter only (I think she likes it too) though I do not believe a bareback pad is great to overuse or use on long distances because it doesn’t distribute my weight like my saddle does and there isn’t anything to protect it from pressing on her withers and upper spine. Shorter rides here and there though I think are ok.

Dream ride. Lovely cool sunny day, the trails were perfect, soft but not slippery, the horses were engaged and forward, we walked, trotted, and did some wonderful cantering along the way as it suited us.

Khaleesi was happy and seemed to be feeling fantastic. She was strong and I often felt her lifting her back underneath me which I love- that she’s using her body properly and engaging her motor underneath. She was in good spirits as was Faygo.

We came into the barn, hardly a sweat and turned them out then walked the field for the lost shoe- Susan found it… was it right where Khaleesi had been running the horses around earlier? Hmmmm.

With a call into my farrier we decided to boot the foot until the end of the month when he will shoe for the OD. No sense adding nail holes two weeks out, and we aren’t going to shoe for the 100 a month early either.

Apparently this foot needs some breathing space. I still believe everything has its purpose. Even if I never truly understand what it is. And if she turns up lame and we have to pull out- then it wasn’t our year.

But for now she seems fine and the boot is staying put. Have I mentioned how much I ❤️ Scoot Boots?? And they are coming out with a narrow fit boot too! They may just be a good answer to this winter’s hoof puzzle.

Meanwhile I’m working on my ace-crew, picking up anything I need for the long ride… I have shoes (for me) en route… extra leathers (just in case Kristen G!!)… capped e-lyte syringes… a new sponge leash… extra sweat scrapers… a new (lighterweight) helmet (mine is 5 years old and I’ve been meaning to replace it… we’ve hit enough tree limbs that it’s time)… mesh half chaps… and an extra pair of cooling tights as well… just things I’ve needed and been dragging my feet on.

Tomorrow we have a ride planned with Amy and Frills to be sure the mares can pace together alright.

Birds flying high… you know what I mean…

Warm sun in the sky…. you know what I mean……

And we’re feeling good….

For the moment…. I’ll take it.

Though note to my 100 crew: you may need to remind me how much I love this around mile 70 when I’m tired, it’s dark… and hopefully not a cold night rain soaking me and making muddy trails. Just a thought 😘

Just over two years ago as an avid trail rider I decided to take on the ambitious goal of a single-day 100 mile ride. I can’t tell you exactly what possessed me to decide this, but something inspired me and I think I said it out loud at a dinner party before I’d even really thought it through as if it were just a random conversation topic.

I suppose the ambitious part comes from the fact that at the time I had a basically feral unbroke 4 year old I planned to do this with. And I’ve never trained a horse before.

With over two years of preparation and many blogs of various topics, the 100 seems an elusive ‘loch ness’ or ‘Sasquatch’… my Everest … it’s not something one stumbles upon randomly. It would be planned for months at least… a year maybe once I think we’re ready?

As in… my imagined announcement would be (cue adventure music):

Hello! I plan to get through this 3rd season with Khaleesi doing multiple 50 mile rides … maybe try a multi-day (2 days of 50 miles) toward the fall and in 2018 we will climb Everest… we will dive for Nessie… we will enter our first 100!!! Stay tuned this entire year as I work toward the climactic event my entire blog is based on.

But instead today is May 7 and here is the real life version:

Ah-hem… um. I just printed out the paperwork for the OD100 on June 10- about a month from now. So… I guess we’re doing it.

Up till now there have been months and more of the type A for anal careful planning, the tweaking of equipment and saddle fit and shoe program and nutrition and electrolytes, the best rating of speed at events, gear, tack, shaving, rump rugs and raincoats… not to mention working on my own fitness, balance and riding… figuring out food I’ll eat and staying hydrated- big and little mistakes along the way… finally it’s coming all in place and in March this little bird says:

Want to start the 100 with me at OD this year? I want to take it slow to finish and would love the company.

😂🤣😝😳😞

(That sums up my initial reaction) then to look around and say um… who? Me? And Khaleesi? 100? This year?

At Blackwater: March 2017

Then there’s the odd cosmic coincidence that I camped at both our 50s for the season next to Dale (who I call Mr. just do it) and he happened to have an OD100 map handy in March: here’s the OD100 map, do you want one… Don’t think so hard about it- just go for it. It’s very do-able.

In March I told Amy- ok ok, if she gets clean through No Frills 55 then we’ll talk.

Considering she had lameness and hoof issues in late winter a good part of me figured we may not make it through No Frills sound. I truly half expected a lameness pull. It is about the hardest technical rocky ride I’ve ever been on.

Then we had about the best ride ever at No Frills and Khaleesi looked the best I’d seen her after any ride. I felt good too. The vets said she looked great (one of them being our vet Kelly who also vets and rides endurance). The mare didn’t even look tired.

Hm. Now I have to actually think about this.

I sometimes have a tendency to take on more than other reasonable sane people. I often don’t see obstacles and limits but the cool big goal. My husband calls it overconfidence on a good day… occasionally if he’s not so generous it turns into reckless and thoughtless of those around me who are left to pick up the pieces…. (really… I hope that doesn’t happen too often!!)

I try hard to curb that part of my general personality so here is when I look for some outside rational input.

I sent a note to my mentor Lynne. She has lots of successful 100s under her saddle and is taking her horse to Tevis this year. She will have good advice. If she laughs at me I’ll know it’s a crazy hair brained idea.

Inside my head: We can’t be ready for this…. can we?

Lynne: Well….. my first reaction was it might be a little soon… However Kelly (my vet and a friend of Lynne) made a point to tell me how good Khaleesi looked at No Frills and what a good job you did taking care of her that day. I think she called your horse a rock star. Honestly… I think you should talk to her, she’ll be perfectly honest with you and has seen your horse more this spring than I have… but I can’t think of why you wouldn’t go for it. Even if you made it 70 or 80 miles that’s an accomplishment. I’ve certainly started that ride and been pulled in years past. You guys have a good shot- and you are very in tune with your horse. You aren’t going to hurt her. You will pull out of you feel it’s not going well for her. That’s the most important thing.

Ok. I’ll check with Kelly. She also has solid 100 mile experience and she knows my horse. Maybe she’ll laugh at us! If so we’ll just do the 50 and keep working on a good base for next season.

Kelly: oh yeah! She is totally ready! Go for it- I think it’s a great idea.

Then one more last ditch reach out to another endurance vet that knows us: am I completely nuts to do this?

Answer: it’s about time!

Ok. So. Yes! Yes- we’ll do it!

So… the K and I are officially signing up to the Beast of the East… the Old Dominion 100. The goal. Green to 100 and all.

I do think we have a shot, however the completion rates are from 45-60% depending on factors (the biggest being heat and humidity) so even the best odds are tough. But make it or not I will learn a lot, and looking forward to the challenge!